He Who Shall Not Be Named...

I began this blog with the words “Communication is not a soft skill!

There’s a blaring example of this going on in the universe these past few weeks and I have really resisted giving this person any more energy or attention. But as time goes by the noise and the circus seems to expand and engulf more reasonable people than it should.

So I’m wading into the fray and am determined to do it without mentioning his name. It rhymes with “stump.”

It’s a fascinating case study driven by words and communication style. It will have political scientists, sociologists, and pundits chewing on it for years. One person has dominated the headlines, made all other political figures respond to his antics and vitriol, and has shot up to number one in the polls. Our national political conversation has become a blood sport!

My question is do we have any alternative to giving all this airtime and electronic ink to this person? It seems like a “damned if we do, damned if we don’t” conundrum.

I also wonder what this is doing to our standing in the world? Who takes us seriously when we have sixteen and counting presidential candidates calling each other names?

But I think it’s time for the grown-ups to stand up and take charge. Those of us who consume media in all its forms need to decide what is important and what should get our attention.

When this particular story ends, and mercifully it will because there’s always the next new thing, is it possible we could learn something about the impact of communication? I hope so, because communication is not a soft skill!